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Prepandemic I saw my mother a freakish amount of times per week. We lived within a mile of each other (before I moved to Kansas City), planned our days off to spend time together, and texted all day long. It’s weird, I know, but it’s us. Covid separated us for 10 months which is the longest we have ever been apart. Now that we have all been in our homes for over a year, I forgot what it’s like to be around people and act normal. The anxiety about getting sick has lifted, since most people we know are vaccinated, but being around someone besides Marco or my pets for an extended period of time was an adjustment. In a way, I forgot what I was like before covid. How to interact with someone else, how to binge-watch bad reality TV with my mom, how to not be alone. I feel like my only child syndrome multiplied by a thousand but I’m not alone in this. A handful of people have told me interacting feels odd now.
The last seven days were spent with my mom and not so much in the kitchen, which is also weird for me since I spend all day in the kitchen. The three of us picked strawberries which was the most therapeutic thing I have done all month. There wasn’t a single person in the field with us. A gentle breeze would blow by as we squatted in the rows of plants searching for red berries and it was insanely peaceful. I’m grateful to all the farms that harvest berries for us all summer (it’s not easy) and I’m grateful my mother is here, on Mother’s Day.
Our picking got a little out of hand and we left with an overflowing flat. We ate berries as snacks, on my homemade yogurt, I made a jam, a Strawberries + Cream Tart, and a strawberry almond galette. These are the things I live for.
One update on the tart crust journey. Pie weights are the way to go. I docked this crust all over and did 15 minutes with weights and then finished it without. I want to leave the weights for 20 minutes next time and I think we will have success.
Stuff to Read
My Dad Is Mark Bittman and My Son Is a Picky Eater. What Now?
Reviewing Maggie’s Townhouse, the Only Restaurant I’ve Been to All Year
Recipe Inspo
Thing Everybody Needs
Where do you put your overflowing produce in the summer? My favorite vessel is a ceramic colander bowl. It’s beautiful but also functional. The holes prevent water from pooling in the bottom and spoiling your produce. Mine is currently filled with strawberries and was a wedding gift from my friend Clare. It brings me great joy every time I see it.
Check out this ceramic colander, here.
Animal Cuteness
A very regal cat named Gravy.
Kitchen Club members, I’ll see you Wednesday for a very summery recipe. 🍅
See you next week, M.